The Potential Causes of Female Abdominal Pain

November 12, 2012

Female abdominal pain refers to the pain that can sometimes be felt in women’s reproductive organs. Since women tend to have a lot more organs in their systems, they also tend to experience pain more frequently in the area. Usually, the cause of this abdominal pain is easy to pinpoint, most of all if it is related to labor pain or menstrual pain. However, sometimes, the pain is hard to discover, even after various extensive tests have been done. As with every case of abdominal pain, though, any pain that lasts more than one hour should generally warrant immediate medical attention. Some of the most common causes of female abdominal pain include appendicitis, urinary tract infections, constipation, menstrual pain, inter-menstrual pain, miscarriage, false labor, labor pain, pelvic inflammatory diseases, ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovarian syndrome, ovarian cysts, ovarian cancer, coeliac disease, irritable bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, trapped gas, ulcerative colitis, kidney stone, premenstrual tension, emotional worries, and sexual abuse. The most common conditions that could cause female abdominal pain, though, are as follows:

Menstrual Pain

Unless a woman is having her menstruation for the very first time, menstrual pain is quite easy to pinpoint. This central lower pain in the abdomen usually occurs several days before the period itself and usually vanishes on the second day of the menstrual cycle. To overcome this pain, simply take painkillers, such as paracetamol or panadol, or anti-inflammatory non-steroidal medication, such as ibuprofen.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Mild or moderate lower female abdominal pain accompanied by abnormal discharge from the vagina or pain while having sexual intercourse could be due to a pelvic inflammatory disease. In a nutshell, this disease refers to an infection in the fallopian tubes and the womb that has come about because of a sexually transmitted disease. This happens to be very common in women who are active in bed. If this disease is expected, get in touch with a doctor and get tested to obtain the necessary antibiotics to clear the disease.

Fibroid

Women who experience abdominal pain because of fibroid are usually of African descent. In a nutshell, a fibroid refers to an abnormal muscle growth in the uterus. It can be quite lumpy and cause hard stones in the uterus wall or womb. Normally, the pain that comes with a fibroid appears in the middle of the lower abdomen and ranges from moderate to extreme. The cramping might last the whole day and might get worse during menstruation, as well. To diagnose fibroid properly, an ultrasound should be requested by a doctor.

Overall, the treatment of this type of female abdominal pain will depend on various things, such as whether the woman still hopes to have a baby in the future, and the size and amount of the fibroid. One advanced treatment for fibroid includes cutting off the supply of blood in the fibroid-filled uterus to make them shrink. Persistent bleeders, on the other hand, might have to result to microwave ablation, while others can simply result to myomectomy to get rid of the fibroid in a safe and easy manner.